A Melbourne man has been convicted of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person for neglect that led to the untimely and agonizing death of his 87-year-old grandmother.

A Brevard County jury found ALLEN G. ARIAS, guilty June 17 after seven hours of deliberation.   

ARIAS, 47, was arrested and charged in 2019, a month after taking his grandmother, Anita Arias, to Holmes Regional Medical Center. Hospital staff found the woman covered in bed sores, some of them infested with maggots and other insects. Melbourne Police obtained a search warrant for the house ALLEN ARIAS and his grandmother shared on Count Street and found filthy conditions in the woman’s bedroom along with diabetes drugs that had been prescribed to her but never administered.

At trial in Viera, Assistant State Attorneys Tiffany Colon and Mike Doyle presented autopsy findings that Anita Arias died from dehydration, emaciation, sepsis, and highly elevated blood sugar.  Prosecutors pointed to ARIAS’ acknowledgement of serving as Anita Arias’ caretaker – who was aware of her diabetes and mobility issues – while living in the home she owned. And they showed jurors photos of the woman’s extensive, infected bedsores.

In his defense, ARIAS and other family members, portrayed the grandmother as a lifelong curmudgeon and hoarder who would refuse food, medicine and doctors’ appointments.

“It’s unfair to say she died the way she lived,” Colon said. “Elderly people might be set in their ways, but you still need to do what you need to do to take care of them – or you need to ask for help.”  

Following the verdict, ARIAS was transported to the Brevard County Jail to await sentencing. Aggravated manslaughter is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Circuit Judge Aaron Peacock scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20.

“Ultimately, I’m happy the victim finally got justice, even though she wasn’t here to see it,” Colon said.